Barnett Avenue set to become county road

Barnett Avenue, which one Sykesville resident called "pothole heaven," is on its way to becoming a county road.

"We called the county all the time and asked for help," said Jean Frease, who gave the street its nickname. "They always said it was a private road and not subject to county maintenance."

At a continuation of a "private street" hearing yesterday, residents amassed the final six votes needed to make the road public. With the owners of two-thirds of the 29 properties in agreement, the county will begin the second phase of the project.

County engineers will complete drawings and cost estimates before putting the job out to bid within a month.

"This is not a hard job," said Howard Noll, chief of the county Bureau of Engineering. "It's just the buildup that takes time."

The final design will include curb and gutter and a 22-foot-wide road, running from MacBeth Way to Lee Lane, he said.

The votes required for approval came from Robert and Janet Feezer, who own six parcels along the 2,426-foot road.

"I was sort of in the middle but willing to go along with whatever the rest of the group wanted," Mr. Feezer said. "It [repaving] means a lot less problems for everyone and ultimately it will increase property values."

The 14 other voters had signed notarized proxies at a meeting last week. Mr. Noll estimated construction could start by the end of summer.

Depending on the size of their properties, owners will pay construction costs estimated from $2,781 to $10,203 each. The total cost of the project is $121,570.

The county will lend residents their share of the repaving cost and accept repayment at no interest over 10 years.